I am norwegian doctor who worked as expedition doc on the Antarctic research station Troll for the summer season 2007-2008. NB: This blog is intended as a personal and ecological account from The Ice Planet - fully independent of the Norwegian Polar Institute, their official web page being: npweb.npolar.no

08 Nov 2007

Going to The Ice Planet

I'm finally going to see the place for myself.In 2 days I'll catch a flight to Cape Town, and from there a plane to Antarctica, briefly landing on the russian antarctic station of Novolazarevskaya, then onwards, weather permitting.

Where exactly am I going?To the norwegian research station Troll, on Queen Maud Land, East Antarctica. Plot the coordinates 72°00′07″S,2°32′02″E into Google Earth, and you'll see some small buildings and containers hugging a mountainside 235 km from the antarctic coastline. Nearby you can see the Troll airstrip carved into the ice itself. Troll station is fairly small, with a winter crew of 6 and a the summer crew variable, but rarely above 40. I'm going for the antarctic summer season, beginning november 2007, lasting until march 2008.

What am I doing in Antarctica?I am going to be medically responsible for the rest of the station crew, support personnel, and visiting scientists. It is the International Polar Year now, so (by antarctic standards!) the place will be bustling with activity.

Who am I?I am a norwegian doctor, 29 years old. Professionally I've been interested in tropical medicine and international health, and have therefore been working in a rural South African hospital for the last year (Hlabisa Hospital, in Zululand). Privately I have many interests. My love of the natural world, natural sciences and being outdoors are the chief reasons I'm going to Antarctica.